School’s little ‘Pinu’ is now Prime Minister, another student Chief Whip Moni: proud veteran educator

One day, a small child learned the first letters of the alphabet from him. He called the child “Pinu” with love. With the flow of time, that child is now Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman. Another student of his is Chief Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad, Alhaj Mr. Md. Nurul Islam Moni. Veteran educationist and former principal Mr. Kazi Abdur Rashid of Patharghata in Barguna has seen both successes in his long teaching life. Today he is full of pride and emotion.

Age has bent his body. He cannot move around as he once did. In the last years of his life, many memories may have faded. But in the mirror of memory, he still sees the five year old Pinu clearly. The child he once taught with love and care now holds the highest duty of the state. Yet he asks nothing for himself from his dear student. He does not expect any post, title or benefit. He only wants his student to build the country well and work for the good of the people.

Many old memories came up as we spoke with the veteran teacher. It was 1972. Mr. Kazi Abdur Rashid was teaching at Ispahani Public School and College in Comilla Cantonment. There, at just five years of age, Mr. Tarique Rahman began his education under him. He called little Tarique “Pinu” out of love. The memory of that polite, gentle and bright child is still fresh in his heart.

Mr. Kazi Abdur Rashid said he has fond memories not only of Mr. Tarique Rahman but also of the family of Shaheed President Mr. Ziaur Rahman. He claims that Mr. Ziaur Rahman once ate a meal at his home. On 27 December 1979, he wrote a letter to then President Mr. Ziaur Rahman to ask about his dear student. In the letter, he wished the President good health and a long life. He also sent love and blessings to little Pinu. At the end of the letter, he wrote, “My love and blessings to my dear little student Pinu, whom I have not seen for many long years, and I do not know how big he has grown now.”

Every word of that letter showed the love of a teacher and the care of a guardian. Several decades have passed, and that student is now the Prime Minister of the country. But the teacher does not want to hold any grudge over the gap of time or the busy schedule of the state. Instead, a smile of joy shows on his face at his student’s success.

In an emotional voice, Mr. Kazi Abdur Rashid said, “I want nothing. I only pray that he can build the country well. I pray that he can do good for the people of the country. That is all I want. My sons are well settled. I still keep busy with writing.”

Speaking about his teaching life, he said, “I am an ordinary teacher. My student is the Prime Minister of the country, and another is the Chief Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad. I used to call Mr. Tarique Rahman Pinu with love. My Pinu may not know where I am, how I am, or whether I am alive. The state has so much work and so many duties.”

These words show less complaint and more of a teacher’s selfless love. He once stood in the classroom and handed books to his students. Now, at the end of his life, he sees their success as his greatest wealth.

Mr. Kazi Abdur Rashid was born on 26 October 1940 in Kalmegha village of Patharghata upazila in Barguna. In 1960, he began his career as an assistant teacher at Rahmatganj High School in Babuganj upazila of Barishal. Later, he taught at Kalmegha Muslim High School in his own area. There, his student was Alhaj Mr. Md. Nurul Islam Moni, who is today the Chief Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad.

In 1967, he joined Ispahani Public School in Comilla Cantonment. In 1980, he served as vice principal of Bogura Cantonment Public School and College. In 1985, he served as principal of Daud Public School in Jashore Cantonment. In his long career, he taught countless students in many institutions across the country. Many of them now hold important positions in society and the state.

He did not limit himself to his job duties. He also made a big contribution to spreading education in his own area. He set up a kindergarten section at Patharghata High School and worked to modernise local institutions. On his own initiative, he founded “K R Elementary School”. He retired from his long teaching life in 2012.

Today, the veteran educationist lives with his wife at his home in Ward No. 4 of Patharghata Municipality. Moving around is hard because of his age, but he still keeps up the habit of writing. A large part of his life is filled with memories of the classroom, students and spreading the light of education.

A teacher shapes students throughout life. Some become doctors, some engineers, some administrators, and some get the duty of running the state. But above all these achievements is the students growing into good human beings. In Mr. Kazi Abdur Rashid’s life, a rare memory has joined this reward. The little Pinu who took his first lesson from his hand is now the Prime Minister. Another student is the Chief Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad.

His hope is not state power, posts or personal success. He hopes that the good of the people of the country will come through the work of his students. Maybe one day his little Pinu will seek out his dear teacher. The teacher and student may meet again, and the lost memories of the classroom may return. Whether he waits for that or not, the account of rewards in Mr. Abdur Rashid’s life is already full. What bigger prize can a teacher get than the success of his student!